bama_belle

I guess I was very lucky in that my endocrinologist recommended me for the surgery, and I had two different physicians do referrals. They recommended my physician, and I didn't have many of the problems a lot of you have had. I hate that you're going through all of this, but I do highly recommend that you do a little more shopping around. I know you're frustrated and I understand your reasoning behind trying to get it done now. Don't give up. Don't let them discourage you.

It's finally done. As of 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 29, 2008, I joined the many who have been banded. They woke me at around 3:00 p.m. when they took me to a room. I was made to stay overnight since I have sleep apnea, but I had my CPAP with me at the hospital and all went well. I was up and going to the bathroom by about 4:00, and by 10:00 on Friday I was on my way home. I'm sore today, but I think it's more from the gas from the surgery than anything, and if I could finally get rid of all of that I'd be great. I've been up and down all day, and every time I go to the bathroom I make myself take a lap all the way around the interior of the house before I sit down again. I'm on liquid Loritab for the pain, but I'm only taking it about every 6 hours, and at the lowest possible dose. I hate taking anything that knocks me out, and this stuff definitely does the trick. I've taken in plenty of liquids, mostly cold stuff, and some jell-o. I also had a sugar free fudgesicle this afternoon. That's not exactly on my list, but my throat was super sore and that's the only thing that even sounded good. I ate about half of it, so as not to push things, and didn't have any problems, so that's a good thing. I tried drinking a little chicken broth, but that seemed to upset my tummy a bit, so I don't think I'm going to try that again just yet. I'm not doing anything that's going to make me throw up. Heck, burping hurts bad enough. I can't even imagine vomiting! I'm so relieved this is finally over. I'm on my way. Pre-op weight was 267.2. My first mini goal - 250. I'm going to stick with mini goals. The big picture will come along soon enough.

It's finally done. As of 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 29, 2008, I joined the many who have been banded. They woke me at around 3:00 p.m. when they took me to a room. I was made to stay overnight since I have sleep apnea, but I had my CPAP with me at the hospital and all went well. I was up and going to the bathroom by about 4:00, and by 10:00 on Friday I was on my way home. I'm sore today, but I think it's more from the gas from the surgery than anything, and if I could finally get rid of all of that I'd be great. I've been up and down all day, and every time I go to the bathroom I make myself take a lap all the way around the interior of the house before I sit down again. I'm on liquid Loritab for the pain, but I'm only taking it about every 6 hours, and at the lowest possible dose. I hate taking anything that knocks me out, and this stuff definitely does the trick. I've taken in plenty of liquids, mostly cold stuff, and some jell-o. I also had a sugar free fudgesicle this afternoon. That's not exactly on my list, but my throat was super sore and that's the only thing that even sounded good. I ate about half of it, so as not to push things, and didn't have any problems, so that's a good thing. I tried drinking a little chicken broth, but that seemed to upset my tummy a bit, so I don't think I'm going to try that again just yet. I'm not doing anything that's going to make me throw up. Heck, burping hurts bad enough. I can't even imagine vomiting! I'm so relieved this is finally over. I'm on my way. Pre-op weight was 267.2. My first mini goal - 250. I'm going to stick with mini goals. The big picture will come along soon enough.

So I had the pre-op bloodwork and paperwork done today. I was at the hospital for about 3 1/2 hours, and I'm on the "fast track" to be admitted on Thursday. I don't know what time yet. They'll call me tomorrow and tell me that. I can eat whatever I want tonight. We are headed out to my favorite Chinese restaurant. My daughter was sort of laughing at me because I was referrring to dinner tonight as my "last meal", but that's OK. I'm still not going to gorge myself or anything like that, but I know it's going to be a long time before I ever have an egg roll or Shrimp with Lobster Sauce - if ever - again, so I want to make this one something I really, really enjoy. Tomorrow is Clear liquids only, of course. I've been told to stop my Byetta as of tomorrow morning. The glucophage and amaryl will continue for now - at least until post op when they give me further instructions. I'm so excited, and so nervous all at the same time. I can't believe it is finally going to happen. I've studied, I've researched, I've read everything I can get my hands on and I am ready for this. I know that this is not the miracle cure, that this is still going to take a lot of dedication and hard work from me. But I'm ready for it. I can do this. I just want Thursday to finally be over!

I have sleep apnea also - was diagnosed several years ago. I could never use the nose pillows, and the first mask I had only covered my nose and I hated it. I slept with it every night, but didn't like it. My new mask covers my nose and mouth and I love it. I feel less claustrophobic with both covered, strangely, but that's because I don't feel as if I just have to keep my mouth closed all the time. Talk to you doctor about a different mask. Once you get used to sleeping with it, trust me you'll feel so much better after a really good night's sleep. Good luck!

For those of you going tomorrow - GOOD luck! Mine is for Thursday and I'll probably implode by then, just waiting. I can't wait. I will be so glad to have this over!

Hmm.. Well, thinking of places that would be easy for most everyone to find, there's Oak Mountain Park, which is right off of I-65 in Pelham, or Tannehill State Park off I-59 in Bessemer. There's the Peach Park in Clanton, There's a nice park in Gardendale - both of those are right off I-65 and easily accessible. I've only been to the Gardendale park once, but I've visited the other three many times and all are great locations. Oak Mountain is rather large, but if anyone were so inclined they could bring their bicycles and go riding, go to the beach to swim, or take a nice hike up to Peavine Falls. There's a lot going on in that park. Tannehill is very pleasant, but not as many such activities, and the Peach Park is small, but great for a little get-together. Those are probably the best options, depending on where everyone's coming from, but all are easy to find.

The only thing I was required to do was get a referral from my PCM to go to the surgeon I chose. I also had a referral from my endocrinologist to go see this surgeon, so the PCM was a formality for the insurance. I am +100 lbs overweight, diabetic, sleep apnea, and a couple other issues, so I met all the criteria, and because my physician requires it, I was able to produce 2+ years of diet history, including the diet my endocrinologist has had me on for the past year, plus my medical history where a former PCM recommended me for gastric bypass and my subsequent refusal to have it (due to someone I know who had complications), so... I saw the Dr. on 4/7. He sent the paperwork in that week. Tricare approved me on 4/14. I found out on 4/21. They called on 5/12 and scheduled me for 5/29. They had originally planned to schedule me for 5/22, but I have a work thing and had no choice but to put it off one more week. I wanted to cry. But that's Ok. I have time to prepare (AND I'm already on a planned vacation that week so I don't have to explain a darn thing to a darn soul about where I've been !)

OK. I have 15 days. FIFTEEN days. I've been trying to wean myself from diet sodas. That's going to be my downfall. And coffee. I ordered half decaf the other day at my favorite restaurant and I think the waitress thought I'd lost my mind. :thumbup: They bring you a whole personal pot of coffee to sit at the table, so I just looked at her and said, "fill the pot half full of regular and then top it off with decaf". Duh. I couldn't really tell a difference, thankfully, but I have a feeling I'm going to be missing coffee something terrible. The only thing the nurse told me over the phone was that I'd be "clear liquids" the 24 hours prior to my surgery. That was it. I've been expecting some godawful pre-op diet that required me to only drink blue sodas every fifth bathroom trip and to stand on my head while eating my yogurt or something. :thumbup: F I F T E E N D A Y S ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! I will probably explode before then. At least it will save the doctor the surgery time. :thumbup:

Congratulations! I also have Tricare, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be to get approved, but I was already above the 100 lbs and diabetic and sleep apnea AND some other issues, so it only took me a week (no kidding!) once the Dr. submitted. I'm scheduled for banding on May 29 and I can't wait for it to get here!:thumbdown:

Sounds like a great idea to me. Not sure about Cullman, though. That might be a bit far for some further south to drive?

Woohooo! Allison!

Well, today - just a little while ago - I found out my scheduled surgery date. May 29. My life will change forever on that date. Don't get me wrong. I know this is no miracle cure. I know that it is going to take a LOT of hard work on my part to get where I need to be, but..... This surgery is going to give me the opportunity to live to see my great-grandchildren. Heck, I don't even have grandchildren yet. But I plan to live to be 90 and be one of those eccentric little old ladies you see in the garden in August in long sleeves and a big floppy hat to keep out the sun. I plan to be one of those little old ladies that people whisper about how many presidents I've lived through. May 29th. It won't get here fast enough!

Well, today - just a little while ago - I found out my scheduled surgery date. May 29. My life will change forever on that date. Don't get me wrong. I know this is no miracle cure. I know that it is going to take a LOT of hard work on my part to get where I need to be, but..... This surgery is going to give me the opportunity to live to see my great-grandchildren. Heck, I don't even have grandchildren yet. But I plan to live to be 90 and be one of those eccentric little old ladies you see in the garden in August in long sleeves and a big floppy hat to keep out the sun. I plan to be one of those little old ladies that people whisper about how many presidents I've lived through. May 29th. It won't get here fast enough!

My doctor hasn't really mentioned anything about smoking, but I do have a prescription for Chantix that I haven't filled yet. I think now is the time to do so.

No more CPAP????? You mean I might actually be rid of that thing? I seriously think I may cry. I'm on metformin, amaryl AND Byetta, each twice a day. I'll be thankful not to have to take any of it anymore. But ridding myself of that CPAP. That... that will be the biggie.

You might also try keeping a small tube of cake icing on hand if you can't find the gel. It works quick and you can store it in the fridge at work, or wherever you need to.

:thumbup::Dancing_biggrin::eek: I just got off the phone with Dr. Stahl's office. May 29th. That's MY DAY! :crying: I am so excited I can't stand it. :tongue:

My suggestion is get the LapBand and then get a new boyfriend. If you have thought about this seriously and have weighed all the options available to you and have decided that this is important to you - and he isn't supportive, guess what he'll be like when you lose the weight.

I just found out that I've been approved for the surgery, but haven't even been scheduled yet. The nosy coworker across from me was eavesdropping and heard me in a phone conversation, and after I got off asked me about the surgery, so I talked to her about it. Her first comment was "I'm going to call and see if our insurance covers it. We can't have you being skinny and me still being fat." I didn't say anything. I just blinked. So, she calls the insurance company right then and discovers that she has to be 100 pounds overweight, at least one health issue (diabetes, for example - the "arthritis" in her knee didn't cut it) and would have to be on a 6 month supervised diet before being approved. (I didn't have to go through that, thankfully) So she hangs up the phone and says "fuck that, if I wanted to be on a supervised diet for 6 months I'd just go to the dr. get some pills and lose it myself". I almost belted her. If she thinks she can lose the weight without surgery then why the #$@*&%#$$#(@#%&*#)$ is she calling about surgery - which for me is a last resort??? BAHHHHHHHHHHH. :thumbup::thumbup: I say, get some new friends. I know its easier said than done sometimes to lose the folks you usually hang around with, but you don't need that kind of crap, and a true friend would be supportive. I think it is great that the raw foods thing is working for you. I hope it does everything you want it to.

This is probably not even the right place to put this, but I'm so excited I don't know what to do. I logged onto the Humana site today to see if anything showed up about my doctor's request for approval for Lap Banding me, and it was THERE. I am APPROVED. Approved. I don't know whether to laugh or cry or what. I called the doctor's office immediately, but they haven't received anything yet, and said if I could fax them what I get as soon as I get it, it will speed things up. God, please please PLEASE let the letter be in the mail when I get home today!

LOL kellygirl, that's exactly how I felt. Congrats on getting approved, too!:tt2:

Brandy I am so excited for you! I pray all goes well!

I don't have a goal at this moment except to be banded -and was just approved. But I can't wait to join the next challenge!

Get this. It's on the website, but neither I nor the Dr had received a letter yet, so I called the insurance company to verify that yes indeed it was correct and I was not hallucinating and the VERY NICE lady at the insurance company FAXED the letter right then to the doctor's office so they would have it tomorrow when they open. How COOOL is that!? I take back EVERY bad thing I've ever uttered about military insurance!